a bleeding purple utah jazz blog

Game 64 Jazz vs. Pistons: *phew*

Just like the Jazz lucked out having the Bobcats come to town between the three-game losing streak and the 0-4 road trip, they lucked out having a shorthanded Pistons team (that got more shorthanded as the game went on) come to town after said road trip. Finally, a win. It was against a 23-42 team, but still a win. Most of all, it was a win that the Jazz, as a Playoff team (though that has not been conclusively proven one way or the other), should win.

Many of our guys played well (Enes Kanter, Marvin Williams, Al Jefferson in the second half), but I want to mention one guy in particular: Jeremy Evans. This was probably the most well-rounded, non-one-trick-pony game of Jeremy’s career, and goes to show that 1) he works hard on his game despite being buried at the end of the bench; 2) he can be a weapon for the Jazz should the coaching staff be so inclined.

Finally: Jamaal Tinsley was ill but Earl Watson didn’t play. Take from that what you will.

Pre-Game Quotage**DeMarre Carroll on the Jazz: They really made me feel comfortable and really, you know, helped me in the summer with a lot of stuff and I been playing great ever since. You know, I think they really have made my career, re-started my career.**Travis Leslie on who he knows on the team: When I got drafted to the Clippers, Mo [Williams] and Randy [Foye], they was on there. Derrick Favors and Kevin Murphy, they both from Georgia. And Alec Burks and Enes Kanter, they was the same draft I was. So I know a lot of guys [on the Jazz].**Leslie on what he brings: Lot of energy. I’m a rebounding guard. Defend pretty well. Good mid-range shooter. Just, bring a lot of energy.**Leslie on who he called after getting called up: My mom. My mom, definitely…She was screaming. She was very excited…She’s in Atlanta, GA. Hopefully if I stay here long enough, she can come out here soon.**Al Jefferson, asked how the offense has changed with Mo Williams back: It didn’t change too much of nuttin. You know, we didn’t change the offense at all while he was out. You know, so it’s pretty much the same.

Post-Game Quotage**Tyrone Corbin on Mo: He’s getting better. He’s actually getting himself back into game shape and getting his timing back, and the guys are starting to read him more, so it’s a process, man…We’ve changed a tremendous amount since he got hurt, so the team is growing in different ways, and he was used to what he was used to when he got out, and his timing’s not there, but he’s gonna work, continue to work.**Corbin on Enes: He’s getting better. He’s a young guy, man, that’s learning on the job, and you know, every night out, he’s getting more and more experience…His game continue to expand as he continue to work.**More Corbin: We gonna need everybody to continue to get better, and you know, like I said before, you know, this is a great group of guys, man, and great character guys, and when we struggle, we don’t struggle because of lack of effort and focus. We just have tough times.

**Marvin Williams on coming off the bench: [Corbin] knows I’m fine with whatever he wants me to do. The bottom line is to win games, and we’re trying to win games…For me, me coming off the bench right now, hopefully it’ll start helping us win games.**Al Jefferson, asked to comment on Enes’s game and wardrobe: Well, his game is just getting better and better, you know? He’s getting his confidence, you know? I just gotta get him to that point where he can stay consistent, you know, and just be ready night in, night out. And he getting there. He getting there. I think he did well. You know, even though we lost four, I think he did well in all four games…And far as his outfit, you know, he got his own style. He make it look good.
[Media: And it’s been pretty consistent too…]
Al: At home games. On the road, he kinda, you know, get into some other stuff. But at home, he been really showing out.**Enes Kanter: With this game, I think we gonna start a winning streak.

Random Stuff, etc.** Jerry Sloan in the house, and shown on the broadcast!

Unintentional Dirty Quote Machines of the Night (UDQM)** Mo, shootaround: I’m chipping at the block, you know? It’ll come, you know?** Boler: Go Mo! Booner: Go Mo, faster!** Boler on Knight: He’s holding that left ankle high.** Boler: Favors holds out front, goes back into Mo.** Booner on Hayward shot: Man, that was way up there but soft enough that it stayed in.** Booner: Coach Corbin’s going deep into…[5-sec pause]…into the lineup.** Booner on Leslie: He has a great body.** Booner on ticket promo: Great package and it’s almost free!** Boler to Jeremy Evans, post-game: Did you expect to go 24 minutes tonight?